Not Another Happy Ending
by hiddlesticks
Summary: Lauren needs a follow up to her best selling novel. However, she's just too happy with her drama-free life. In order to get her back into the zone she was when she wrote her first book, her manager, Gregory, arranges for her to have a break in Ireland. Unbeknownst to Lauren, Gregory's handsome son, Tom, is accompanying her with one instruction; to cause trouble.
1. Chapter 1

"Gregory, I've tried everything to come up with some new material to write about, trust me. I've opened Microsoft Office Word more times in the last four months than I did when I was writing the first book. I just can't" I pressed, trying to get my point across to my pleading agent who just couldn't grasp the fact I was unable to conjure up another fast-selling novel overnight.

He leaned back in his chair, an anxious look plastered on his face and his glasses had steamed up from the stress frenzy he was working himself into. "You're one of my best writers, Lauren. Your book was such a hit, everyone's waiting for a follow up"

"I know and i've been slaving away trying to figure out how I can turn anything in my life into a thrilling read for someone but it's proving impossible" I wasn't exaggerating, just the other day I had tried to turn a boring shopping trip to _Asda_ into an exciting chapter because I was so desperate to produce something, no matter how short it was, just to reassure myself that I hadn't lost my knack for writing. Needless to say, you can't form a whole chapter on how toilet cleaner was two for the price of one.

"I'm sure there are a lot of good things happening in your life"

"That's the problem!" I cried in annoyance, "I'm just too happy, I've achieved my life goal of getting a successful book and having people genuinely enjoy something I've wrote. I'm just not in the same position as I was when I wrote the first book; i'm not stuck in a grotty flat, i'm not still moping about my ex and i'm not worried about potentially being homeless. I'm not miserable!"

Gregory's frown suddenly changed into a smug smile, it's almost as if a light bulb had gone off in his head and he'd managed to think of the greatest idea in the entire universe. "Lauren Silver, what you need is a break"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you for the past four months" I sighed.

"No, this'll be a proper hiatus. I'm going to send you to Ireland for a little vacation, soak up the fresh air and relax a little" he grinned. I was slightly skeptical of what he was saying, he'd morphed from this demanding Gregory into this generous Gregory. He never let anyone have time off, he was always pushing people to work to make sure they didn't start slacking and letting their standard slip - which is one of the many reasons why I liked him being my agent - so, him just springing the idea of this trip to Ireland was odd, "You'll leave tomorrow"

I could've sworn my eyes were about to pop out of their sockets, "Tomorrow?"

"Yes, tomorrow" he said like it was it was completely obvious that he'd meant that from the start, "You better hurry home, you've got a lot of packing to do. Be here at the office at six-thirty sharp and i'll give you all the information just before you go!"

I decided there was no point protesting, I did want to keep him as my agent. Plus, a break from having him shouting down at me from the phone to hurry up and write something would be good after all having to be awake and ready by six-thirty certainly wasn't an appealing part of the forced 'offer'.


	2. Chapter 2

My alarm had woken me rather abruptly. Ugh. I swear to God if Gregory told me it was all a prank then I would've gladly, without a doubt, shot him. No-one deserves to have to be up this early, I felt half dead and judging by my pale morning complexion, I could've probably passed for a zombie. If I can't find inspiration for a new novel then I could always bag a job on _The Walking Dead_.

I reached Gregory's office with ten minutes to spare and the whole place is dead silent. I started to question the authenticity of this Irish trip, he had well and truly pranked me, hadn't he? Of course, I should've known stupid Gregory doesn't give his clients breaks and there I was thinking because I had a New York Times Bestseller under my belt that I would be an exception. "Hello?" I questioned, poking my head around the doorway, "Gregory? Is anyone here?"

Taking the silence as a confirmation, I turned around only to be met by a figure looming over me. He must have been about 6'2, and he had the bluest eyes i'd ever seen, he resembled what Gregory may have looked like in his younger days, "Hey"

"Uh..hello" I smiled thinly, raising my eyebrow in confusion, "I'm looking for Gregory Healy, I don't suppose you've seen him"

"Oh, you must be Lauren! He's not here, he's at home eating waffles" he let out a breathy laugh, shaking his head, "But anyway, i'm Tom, Gregory's son. I've been ordered by him to your companion on your little break to Ireland"

Companion, huh? Did Gregory seriously not trust me to go on vacation by myself? Was that why he had sent his offspring to keep a watchful eye over me and make sure I didn't skip the country? I had to give kudos to him, his son was extremely good looking and I probably did need some eye candy on this trip so I couldn't protest. Maybe things would fun having Gregory's attractive son tag along, just _maybe_.

As we started off our journey in Tom's cosy car towards the port for car ferries, you could've cut the silence between us with a knife. It was horrendously quiet, the cars whizzing past us providing the only source of sound. It had only been five minutes full of staring out the window before I was already bored and planning an ridiculous escape route. There was no way I could make a speedy exit from inside a moving car so I switched to Plan B, which was trying to spark up a conversation.

"So, Tom, ever been to Ireland?" I said shakily, forcing tight smile.

His blue eyes seemed to light up at the fact I was making an attempt to communicate. Had I come across too hostile to talk to? "Are you kidding?! I was born in England but I grew up in Ireland, I just moved to London a couple of months ago because my dad wanted to spend more time with me but I still travel back there every weekend. What about you?"

"That must be tiring. I spent most of childhood years there too but soon as school finished I packed my bags and left" I replied, "I mean, Ireland was nice, it was peaceful but it just wasn't the place for me. I always preferred cities. I had this best friend, Rosie, she used to constantly tell me that it would never happen, that i'd be stuck in Ireland until I was a suffering old lady. If only she could see me now"

"What did you say your last name was again?" Tom asked, not taking his eyes off the road.

"I didn't. But it's Silver, Lauren Silver"

His whole demeanour shifted, his face stiffened ever so slightly as he furrowed his brows, attempting to concentrate hard on the street before him. Had I said something wrong? Does he have issues with the world 'silver'? He seemed taken aback and I could've sworn there was a hint of what quite possibly could've been sadness. "Is something wrong?"

"No...Uh, i'm very sorry! I used to know a girl in school with the same last name. I fancied her an awful lot despite the fact that she made it clear she was never going to date a loser like me" he laughed anxiously, but I could still see the sprinkle of sorrow in those wonderfully aqua eyes, "It was heartbreaking but what's past is past"

"If it helps, I don't think you're a loser" I flashed him a tight lipped smile in which he returned, exposing his dimples. Gosh, was there anything about him that wasn't ultimately perfect but yet absolutely adorable?

He glanced my way momentarily, but long enough to catch my eye before his vision once again met the road. Tom's cheeks had turned a shade of light crimson as he let out a nervous chuckle, "Do you really think that, Lauren?"

"Yes" I replied, "Yes, I really do"


End file.
